MANILA (11 Sept 2014) – Philippines head coach Thomas Dooley said that the team need to bring their ‘A’ game to a final match should they wish to end the bridesmaid tag in future competition.
After conceding their second loss in a final within a gap of just a few months, Dooley saud that the team need to sort things out before a major meet like the AFF Suzuki Cup in November.
“We are on the right track, but a little thing we have to find out is how we can win in a final,” said Dolley. “How can we play our best game in the final?”
“Most of the time we play great, but in the first couple weeks of a major tournament, you don’t play great. You find your team and then you get better and better. And then the final is actually the time you play your best.”
In May, the Philippines had lost out to Palestine in the final of the AFC Challenge Cup while last week, they fell to a 3-2 loss to Myanmar after extra time.
“For us, the final is where we’re not playing our best,” Dooley added.
“Maybe it has something to do with fitness. I don’t know.”
